Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested 53 Ethiopian Christians during a private worship service this month.

Fox News reported the believers are foreign workers living in the Islamic Kingdom and that they were arrested by the mutawa, Saudi Arabia's religious police, simply for worshipping Christ.

The Saudi government claims to tolerate other faiths, but religious freedom groups say such arrests are on the rise there.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., who sits on the Caucus on Religious Minorities in the Middle East, condemned the actions of the Saudi authorities.

"Nations that wish to be a part of the responsible nations of the world must see the protection of religious freedom and the principles of reason as an essential part of the duty of the state," Fortenberry said.

Last year, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia said all churches on the Arabian peninsula should be destroyed.